Elegant manual

P U B L I C S E R V I C E A C T I V I T I E S
The dictionary definition and the Amateur Radio definition justaren’t the same… are they?
ctivities are defined in the dictionary as the plural of activity and it is defined
in several ways. One is, The state of being active. That’s a good one - hopefully
Amost of our Amateur Radio pursuits cause us to be active. Another is Energeticaction or movement; liveliness. Yes indeed, we’re getting close. One especially
pertinent to ham radio is The intensity of a radioactive source. Here’s a good one, a two-part
definition a.A specified pursuit in which a person partakes.b.An educational process or procedureintended to stimulate learning through actual experience. Ah ha! this is what we really mean by
Many of the things a ham does in the radio hobby could be considered activities, but in
the Albemarle Amateur Radio Club, it gets to mean something more specific. A long
time ago some really smart people figured out that the best way to prepare for
something, to get ready for some activity, was to practice at it a while. The more you
practiced, the better you got at it. Now, that’s not rocket science, it makes a lot of
sense. OK, though, how do you prepare, or practice, for something that happens rarely
(hopefully), like a natural disaster such as a hurricane or train wreck or earthquake? If
you live in an area where these things happen a lot, you might naturally get enough
practice to learn to be good in these situations (although folks might wonder why you
would want to live in a place like that). But thankfully, most of us live in areas where
these things don’t happen too often. Albemarle County is one of those fortunate
So what the hams do in the Albemarle County area to practice for the special events is
to participate in a lot of events that are not only a lot less terrifying, but a lot more fun.
We call these events activities. Our activities cover a lot of event types. Many are public
service events, such as parades or walkathons. Some are bicycle races or horse races.
We even do practice emergency drills. What all of these events have in common is that
they use us Amateurs as communications resources to some degree.
P U B L I C S E R V I C E A C T I V I T I E S
What this manual attempts to do is to describe some of the activities, what to expect
while you’re in one and how to prepare for them. What is tries not to do is to make
preparing for an event seem like a complicated task, suitable only for a special few -
because participating in these activities is for everyone. There are no minimum
requirements for participation. You don’t even have to be a ham (although we will
tend to focus on that - after all, we are a radio club) to help at an event.
The guidelines in this manual are suggestions that will make your experience a bit more
comfortable and enjoyable, but are not meant to be thought of a necessary or required.
So, when the character with the clipboard wanders by and asks if you are interested in
helping at an activity, sign up! You will find it a rewarding experience.
Types of ActivitiesAlthough there are many different names for the events, there are really only a few
types of activities, as far as we hams are concerned, and our participation in these
activities can be catagorized as a few basic roles. And with a few basic roles, there are
some guidelines that apply to all activities.
Some things are common to all activities. Each event requires a fair amount of
planning where maps are made, routes are planned and assignments are made ahead of
time to avoid confusion. In order to keep things running as smoothly as possible,
• Sign up early - when the clipboard makes it’s rounds, try to sign up well in advance
of the event. Sure, things are pretty dynamic these days and you may not be sure of
your schedule that far ahead of time, but if that’s the case, indicate that you might
• Look for details about the event - if the time is drawing near and you haven’t
heard anything from the organizer, call them and get some information. Usually,
maps and assignment sheets are mailed out well ahead of time of the event.
• If you can’t make it to an event, let the organizer know - The earlier you let the
event organizer know about an absence, the easier it is to make adjustments. A
great help is to find your own replacement!
• Show up on time - Sometimes there are last minute changes in the Plan (this is
definitely an understatement…) and changes to the assignments, frequencies,
operating modes, etc. need to be made. If you’re there early, you have time to
• Have fun! - these activities are designed to help us all prepare for The Big One, but
that’s no reason to keep from having a good time. Watch the horses or bicycles or
runners or whatever. See what other hams are doing in their respective roles.
Consider what role you might like to try next time. Read the User’s Manual on
your radio and find out what crossbandrepeating really means! (Just kidding, Hein…)
Everyone who has been to a public service activity has brought home a bit of
knowledge. It’s amazing how much fun you can have learning something.
These are fairly general guidelines, that can be applied to just about any event. There
are a number of specialties, though, that give you an opportunity for variety.
P U B L I C S E R V I C E A C T I V I T I E S
P U B L I C S E R V I C E A C T I V I T I E S
About the Various RolesGenerally, the role you play at an activity is determined by the degree you will be
expected to move. There are moving roles and stationary roles. The moving roles can
be broken up into three types - Shadow, Rider and Mobile. The stationary roles usually
fall into two categories - Portable and Vehicle. A well prepared kit will allow a ham to
participate in several of these roles, and a good number of our local club members
come ready to do them all. It’s not that hard to be Ready for Anything.
At some big events, like bike-a-thons or horse races, where there is a lot of ground to
cover, there is a need for a ham to follow a Very Important Person. Just like the literal
shadow this person casts, the job of the Shadow ham is to follow this person around
and provide personal communications. It’s a good idea to bring along gear that can be
stuffed in pockets. Be ready to do a lot of running. Always keep an eye on your VIP.
In crowds it can be easy to lose them! Generally this role requires an HT and a good
pair of running shoes. Be ready to provide third party communications because they
usually want to talk on the radio themselves, so a speaker mic is a good addition to the
Here’ a fun role. The Rider is a ham that rides in someone else’s vehicle and provides
mobile communications. Lots of times a Rider ends up in the front seat of a police car,
but sometimes works in a JAUNT van or even a dump truck! Bring along mobile
gear, be ready for a long ride without stops and watch out for vehicles with aluminum
or plastic roofs (unless your mag mount antenna has a plastic magnet).
One of the easiest to prepare for, but one of the most demanding, is the role of the
Mobile ham. A mobile ham is one that rides in their own vehicle, so you can use your
own radio gear, antenna and other custom equipment. You don’t have to worry if your
power cable fits in the cigarette lighter and you know that your coffee cup fits in the
cup holder. On the other hand, you may be asked to follow a bunch of bicyclists
around a small circular track a LOT of times while talking on the radio, taking notes
and avoiding potholes. Sometimes you’ll need to make room in the front seat for a
race official. Bring duct tape and magic markers, because the folks we’re working with
love to put signs on The Mobile. Big paper signs that flap a lot unless they’re taped
down with a lot of that wonderful invention, duct tape. Pick a brand that doesn’t take
P U B L I C S E R V I C E A C T I V I T I E S
This role is a lot like the Shadow’s, except not much running is involved. Usually the
Portable Fixed ham walks to a location and then stays there for the duration of the
event. Bring along a book and a few extra things for personal comfort. A lightweight
folding chair is well worth the weight…
The Vehicle Fixed role is the classical ‘station’ type ham in an event. Usually a Vehicle
Fixed ham is asked to drive his/her vehicle to a location and operate the station from
there. This is an ideal role for those that like the comforts of their own vehicles
(especially those with motor homes!) but don’t like to do a lot of driving. Be sure to
park within walking distance of a bathroom and get ready for a LONG stay.
Do you like the feeling of power? Directing a spread out group of communicators to
work on an event? Then maybe you ought to consider being Net Control. The Net
Control ham coordinates the communication during an event. They decide what type
of net to run (directed, informal, etc.) and tie together all of the ‘ends’ of the
communication net serving a particular occasion. It’s exciting, and you get to see a lot
of action. It also can be very demanding when four or five people are all clamoring for
your attention at the same time and you need to keep track of who’s doing what.
Usually the Net Control is a fixed station, but on occasion they are mobile. The most
important tools needed are a pad and pencil and a nice, quiet place to operate. Net
Controllers work best when they have a helper to go for things and provide an
P U B L I C S E R V I C E A C T I V I T I E S
These roles are not all inclusive and just as soon as they are written down someone will
invent another type. They should, however, cover a lot of the types of events seen at
most of our Club’s public service activities.
The checklists that follow were compiled from lists provided by hams that have
participated in the types of events listed above. They are meant to provide a
convenient way of remembering what handy things to bring to an activity. They are
also meant to be added to and changed as necessary as you get more involved in
participating in these activities, because everybody does it differently.
The authors of this little booklet would very much like to hear from you and learn
about your experiences, in the hopes that we can update this Guide and make it even
more helpful to those just starting out.
We enjoy participating in these activities a LOT, and hope you will too.
ChecklistsThe following pages show detailed checklists of equipment for the particular type of
role outlined in the previous narrative. They also indicate, where applicable, hints and
suggestions that various hams have discovered while performing these roles. Use them
as suggestions - there is no right list for everybody. Your list will be longer or shorter
The ShadowRadio gear
Remember, don’t get too much of anything! Too
cold, too hot, too wet or too tired. All of these
cause problems. Dress appropriately for the
weather, because it seems like a lot of our activities
are held outside. Watch out for that wind chill!
Even on a nice sunny day, the wind can rob your
body of a LOT of heat. Wear a hat and plenty of
layers of clothes. Don’t forget scarves and gloves,
Walking shoes or boots Rain gear Head and neck covering medication tissues sun glasses snacks dress in layers - keep warm!
Miscellaneous
Reflective vest notepad pens/pencils Money (change for calls and vending machines) flashlight maps aspirin/Tylenol band-aids watch rubber bands garbage bag Swiss Army knife
The RiderRadio gear
Also, be careful of equipment needs in this role. It
may not always be easy to stick a mag mount on a
non-metallic vehicle body and sometimes the
distance from your rig to the nearest cigarette
lighter is the length of your power cable plus six
inches. It never hurts to bring along a couple of
battery packs, or even a nice big power station.
Power adapters for cigarette lighter plug
Rain gear Head and neck covering medication tissues sun glasses snacks dress in layers - keep warm!
Miscellaneous
Reflective vest notepad pens/pencils Money (change for calls and vending machines) flashlight maps aspirin/Tylenol band-aids watch rubber bands garbage bag Swiss Army knife
Take the opprotunity to let someone else do the
driving while you relax and play radio. Just make
sure that you follow the rules of the captain of the
vessel (the vehicle you are riding in). If you get
even the slightest bit carsick, bring along some
The MobileRadio gear
a mobile rig, of course! Spare batteries or battery packs
Always be a good, defensive driver. Keep your eyes
on the road, NOT on the radio dial, unless you are
safely stopped! Watch out for pedestrians or
Whatever other good stuff you already installed
bicyclists. If you ride with a bike race official, and
he wants you to get real close to the pack, use your
common sense. Drive first, use your radio second.
enforcement officer first - no race official or VIP
outranks a policeman on the street, when you are
driving. Use your emergency flashers if approved.
Make sure you can be seen, from in front and
behind. This is a good role to have some help with
- it can be a lot of fun for another ham (acting as a
Rider) to help out a Mobile ham. And remember,
we are communicators first - not taxi drivers or
short haul truckers. Listen to the Net Control and
Miscellaneous
Reflective vest notepad pens/pencils Money (change for calls and vending machines) flashlight maps aspirin/Tylenol band-aids watch rubber bands garbage bag Swiss Army knife
Got enough gas? Tire pressure All the lights working? Amateur Radio signs (of course!) Tool kit
Portable FixedRadio gear
HT Spare batteries or battery packs Speaker/mic Earphone or headset Good, flexible antenna
Walking shoes or boots Rain gear Head and neck covering medication tissues sun glasses snacks dress in layers - keep warm!
Miscellaneous
Reflective vest notepad pens/pencils Money (change for calls and vending machines) flashlight maps aspirin/Tylenol band-aids watch rubber bands garbage bag Swiss Army knife small folding chair reading material insect repellent
Vehicle FixedRadio gear
Always obey the rules of the road and park in a safe
place. It is YOUR responsibility to make sure you
are safely parked. Only a law enforcement officer
can direct you to park in a normally restricted
parking place. Don’t block private drives or access
roads and always be ready to move your vehicle. If
you are parked for a long time and using your
radio, periodically check to see if you can start your
car. Some of these mobile rigs are real power hogs!
Miscellaneous
Reflective vest notepad pens/pencils Money (change for calls and vending machines) flashlight maps aspirin/Tylenol band-aids watch rubber bands garbage bag baggies Swiss Army knife Duct tape Magic markers cooler paper towels reading material insect repellent

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